Filtration apparatus with cartridge assembly

Abstract

A filtration apparatus for filtering a fluid stream includes a vessel housing. At least one cartridge assembly is arranged within the vessel housing. The cartridge assembly includes filtration material arranged between at least one inlet and at least one outlet. The filtration material treats the fluid stream to form a filtered fluid stream. In use, the fluid stream is received a feed port of the vessel housing, flows through the filtration material in the cartridge assembly between the inlet and the outlet, and the filtered fluid stream is discharged from a discharge port of the vessel housing. The filtration apparatus can be used to remove siloxanes from the fluid stream.

We claim: 
     
       1. A filtration apparatus for filtering a fluid stream, comprising:
 a vessel housing comprising a feed port and a discharge port; and 
 at least one cartridge assembly arranged within the vessel housing, the at least one cartridge assembly comprising an outer sidewall having at least one inlet formed therein, an inner sidewall having at least one outlet formed therein, and filtration material arranged between the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet, 
 wherein the feed port is in fluid communication with the at least one inlet, 
 wherein the discharge port is in fluid communication with the at least one outlet, 
 wherein the filtration material is adapted to treat the fluid stream to form a filtered fluid stream, 
 wherein, in use, the fluid stream is received at the feed port, flows through the filtration material in the at least one cartridge assembly between the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet, and the filtered fluid stream is discharged at the discharge port, 
 wherein, in the at least one cartridge assembly, the outer sidewall is generally cylindrical and defines an axis that is generally vertical, and the at least one inlet comprises a plurality of inlets formed in the outer sidewall and spaced apart circumferentially so that, in use, the fluid stream flows radially inwardly through the inlets to the filtration material, 
 wherein, in the at least one cartridge assembly, the inner sidewall is generally cylindrical and generally concentric with the outer sidewall, the inner sidewall defining a central passage, and the at least one outlet comprises a plurality of outlets formed in the inner sidewall and spaced apart circumferentially so that, in use, the filtered fluid stream flows radially inwardly from the filtration material through the outlets to the central passage, 
 wherein, in the at least one cartridge assembly, the inlets are arranged towards a top edge of the outer sidewall and the outlets are arranged towards a bottom edge of the inner sidewall so that, in use, the fluid stream flows axially downwardly through the filtration material between the inlets and the outlets, and 
 wherein the at least one cartridge assembly comprises a top wall that extends between the outer and inner sidewalls, the top wall being spaced above the filtration material to define a first axial space therebetween so that, in use, the fluid stream flows through the first axial space between the inlets and the filtration material. 
 
     
     
       2. The filtration apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cartridge assembly comprises a bottom wall that extends between the outer and inner sidewalls, the bottom wall being spaced below the filtration material to define a second axial space therebetween so that, in use, the filtered fluid stream flows through the second axial space between the filtration material and the outlets. 
     
     
       3. The filtration apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one cartridge assembly comprises a lower media support member that is at least partially fluid permeable and extends between the outer and inner sidewalls, the filtration material being retained above the lower media support member. 
     
     
       4. The filtration apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cartridge assembly comprises an upper media support member that is at least partially fluid permeable and extends between the outer and inner sidewalls, the filtration material being retained below the upper media support member. 
     
     
       5. The filtration apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an interior wall of the vessel housing is spaced about the outer sidewall of the at least one cartridge assembly to define an annular space therebetween that is connected in fluid communication with the feed port so that, in use, the fluid stream flows through the annular space between the feed port and the inlets of the at least one cartridge assembly. 
     
     
       6. The filtration apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one cartridge assembly comprises a plurality of cartridge assemblies in a stacked arrangement so that, in use, the fluid stream flows in parallel between the annular space and the inlets of the cartridge assemblies. 
     
     
       7. The filtration apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the inner sidewalls of the cartridge assemblies are aligned in vertical registration and connected in fluid communication with the discharge port so that, in use, the filtered fluid stream flows axially within the central passage between the outlets the discharge port. 
     
     
       8. The filtration apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the filtration material is adapted to remove at least one component of the fluid stream. 
     
     
       9. The filtration apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the filtration material consists of an adsorbent material. 
     
     
       10. Use of the filtration apparatus of  claim 1  to remove at least one component of the fluid stream. 
     
     
       11. Use of the filtration apparatus of  claim 1  to remove siloxanes from the fluid stream. 
     
     
       12. A cartridge assembly, comprising:
 a generally cylindrical outer sidewall comprising a plurality of inlets formed therein and spaced apart circumferentially; 
 a generally cylindrical inner sidewall that is generally concentric with the outer sidewall, the inner sidewall comprising a plurality of outlets formed therein and spaced apart circumferentially; 
 a top wall that extends between the outer and inner sidewalls; 
 a bottom wall that extends between the outer and inner sidewalls; and 
 filtration material housed within the outer and inner sidewalls and between the top and bottom walls, 
 wherein the filtration material is retained between upper and lower media support members, each of the support members being at least partially fluid permeable and extending between the outer and inner sidewalls. 
 
     
     
       13. The cartridge assembly of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the inlets are arranged towards a top edge of the outer sidewall, the top wall being spaced from the upper media support member to define a first axial space therebetween that is in fluid communication with the inlets; and 
 the outlets are arranged towards a bottom edge of the inner sidewall, the bottom wall being spaced from the lower media support member to define a second axial space therebetween that is in fluid communication with the outlets. 
 
     
     
       14. A method, comprising:
 providing at least one cartridge assembly comprising an outer sidewall having a plurality of spaced apart inlets formed therein, an inner sidewall having a plurality of spaced apart outlets formed therein, and filtration material housed within the outer and inner sidewalls; 
 flowing a fluid stream to the inlets of the at least one cartridge assembly; 
 in the at least one cartridge assembly, flowing the fluid stream inwardly through the filtration material between the inlets and the outlets to form a filtered fluid stream; 
 discharging the filtered fluid stream from the outlets of the at least one cartridge assembly; 
 in the at least one cartridge assembly, flowing the fluid stream downwardly through the filtration material between the inlets and the outlets; and 
 in the at least one cartridge assembly:
 flowing the fluid stream inwardly through the inlets to a first axial space that is between a top wall and the filtration material; and 
 flowing the fluid stream inwardly through the outlets from a second axial space that is between the filtration material and a bottom wall. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , comprising:
 arranging a plurality of the cartridge assemblies in a vessel housing; and 
 flowing the fluid stream from a feed port of the vessel housing through an annular space between the cartridge assemblies and an interior wall of the vessel housing in parallel to the inlets of the cartridge assemblies. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 collecting the filtered fluid stream from the outlets of the cartridge assemblies in a central passage defined by the inner sidewalls of the cartridge assemblies; and 
 flowing the filtered fluid stream to a discharge port of the vessel housing. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , comprising, with the filtration material, removing at least one component of the fluid stream. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , comprising, with the filtration material, removing siloxanes from the fluid stream. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , comprising, in a regeneration mode, flowing fluid between the outlets and the inlets of the at least one cartridge assembly. 
     
     
       20. The filtration apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one cartridge assembly comprises a bottom wall that extends between the outer and inner sidewalls, the bottom wall being spaced below the filtration material to define a second axial space therebetween so that, in use, the filtered fluid stream flows through the second axial space between the filtration material and the outlets. 
     
     
       21. The filtration apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one cartridge assembly comprises a lower media support member that is at least partially fluid permeable and extends between the outer and inner sidewalls, the filtration material being retained above the lower media support member. 
     
     
       22. The cartridge assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the inlets are arranged towards a top edge of the outer sidewall, the top wall being spaced from the upper media support member to define a first axial space therebetween that is in fluid communication with the inlets. 
     
     
       23. The cartridge assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the outlets are arranged towards a bottom edge of the inner sidewall, the bottom wall being spaced from the lower media support member to define a second axial space therebetween that is in fluid communication with the outlets.